The Long Spring
by balmorhea
Summary: Shigure is always meddling and putting Hatori in uncomfortable positions. What happens when the doctor finally goes along with one of Shigure's schemes?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Shigure's always so meddlesome, playing pranks and stirring up drama. But his interfering habits aren't always bad, and Shigure decides to use his cleverness to nudge Hatori in the right direction. He is a novelist after all, and who can set up a romantic relationship better than a writer?

A/N: This is my first Furuba story. It pulls from both the anime and the manga (of which I've only read maybe half, and that was years ago). In terms of time, I would place it around book four or so. It will follow the general timeline of the manga, but there will still be quite a bit of AU elements.

* * *

"There is neither heaven nor earth, only snow, falling incessantly."  
-Hashin

Chapter one:

The phone rang. He jumped out of his skin.

"Ha'ri! So you are alive! We were beginning to wonder if perhaps you had crashed on your way over," Shigure said before Hatori had a chance to speak.

Hatori cleared his throat, still a little shaken over being interrupted from his reverie so suddenly. "Over where?"

Shigure paused, then sighed. "You didn't forget, did you?" he teased. "You promised to come by this evening and have dinner. Tohru-kun's been in the kitchen all afternoon, cooking a delicious meal for you, but if you aren't coming…."

Hatori shook his head, rubbing an eye with his empty hand. He glanced at the clock, and then back to the window where he had been staring out before Shigure called. "I don't recall agreeing to stop by so much as you deciding for me."

"Haa-san, it will do you good to get out of that office and in front of company that aren't sick and injured patients and that annoying nurse of yours," Shigure said firmly. He hesitated, then added more seriously, "Also, I was rather hoping you'd be able to check on Yuki while you were here, at the very least. This weather's been making his asthma act up quite a bit lately. He refuses to come to the clinic, of course, but if you were to come here…."

He sighed. "All right, fine. I have to finish a few things up here, but I'll be there within the hour," Hatori said flatly, looking at the large stack of files and charts that lay on the desk in front of him. He had a lot of work to get done, but Hatori couldn't deny that a home-cooked meal sounded appealing right now. He'd barely eaten all day.

"You agree so quickly to see Yuki, but I have to coerce you into visiting me?" Shigure said, sounding scandalized. "I'm hurt, Haa-san—"

Hatori hung up the phone. He picked up his pen and tapped it against the chart that had been sitting in front of him—untouched—for the better part of half an hour. He managed to write half a sentence before he dropped his pen and cracked his knuckles, already losing his focus. Akito had fallen ill again last night, and Hatori hadn't gotten much sleep.

Knowing he wasn't going to get anything done, Hatori stacked the charts and slid them aside to work on later. He wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight anyway, knowing there was an entire afternoon's worth of work sitting in his office. Hatori stood up and pulled on his jacket, vaguely considering whether he should change his shirt to one less wrinkled. As he turned off the lights to the office, Hatori decided against it—he doubted whether anyone would notice.

Outside the trees swayed dangerously close to the houses, which rattled in the heavy wind. Hatori pulled his coat tighter about himself in the biting cold as he unlocked his car. No wonder Yuki's asthma was acting up. Kyo was doubtlessly feeling unlike himself as well, as he hardly fared much better in severe weather.

The drive to Shigure's house normally took several minutes, but it seemed Hatori had only to blink and he was already there. Was he really that out of it? He turned off the ignition and approached the front door. He held out a hand to knock when it was suddenly yanked open, and Hatori froze.

Kyo looked stunned for a moment, but quickly regained himself. "What the hell are you doing here?" he snapped, looking unhappy.

Hatori was unfazed. "Do you always answer the door like that?"

"Oh, good, Hatori's here," said Shigure, appearing from behind Kyo. "Kyo, why don't you make yourself useful and take his coat?"

Kyo snorted. "Like hell I will," he spat, storming past Hatori.

"Don't stay on that roof for too long, or you'll get sick!" Shigure called after him, but Kyo had already disappeared around the side of the house. He turned back to Hatori and stepped back to let the man enter.

"What have you done to upset him now?" Hatori asked, removing his shoes.

Shigure held up his hands. "I'm innocent in this. It's him and Yuki—what else is new? It doesn't help that the poor weather makes him moodier than usual," Shigure said, shrugging. "It's a wonder they haven't broken part of my house yet today. Anyway, follow me. Tohru's setting up the table, and none of us are allowed near it."

Hatori followed Shigure down the hall, where they ran into a disgruntled-looking Yuki coming down the stairs.

"You're here early," Yuki noted, checking his watch.

"Yes, he's actually come right when I've asked him to. I'm so used to Ha'ri showing up hours after I've called that I figured I should give him a large window," said Shigure.

"My last two appointments cancelled because of the weather, and I thought I'd get this over with," said Hatori flatly. Then he added, "Speaking of which, Yuki—Shigure says your asthma has been flaring up lately?"

Yuki looked confused. "No, my asthma's fine."

They both turned to look at Shigure, who merely shrugged and continued down the hall. "Come on, Ha'ri, you know you'd have found some excuse not to come if you didn't think you had to."

Hatori sighed, annoyed. He really should have seen this coming.

"And don't think you can leave, either," Shigure added, guessing Hatori's next thought. He slid open the door to his study and sat down lazily. "You're already here, so you might as well stay for dinner. You wouldn't want our little flower's magnificent dinner to go to waste, now would you?"

Hatori merely shot Shigure a look. "You would eat the whole thing yourself, and you know it."

Shigure shrugged, waving a hand dismissively. "You look tired," he commented, changing the subject. "Have you been sleeping?"

"I am tired," said Hatori, lighting a cigarette. _You keep dragging me into annoying situations._ "I was up most of the night with Akito."

"That's it?" Shigure asked expectantly.

Hatori paused. "Should I have been awake for something else?"

"Well, I just figured there might be another reason," said Shigure vaguely, reaching for his own pack of cigarettes from his desk. "Like Kana," he finally added, blowing a puff of smoke towards the ceiling.

Hatori took a deep drag off the cigarette, then exhaled. "What about her?" he asked carefully.

"Well, it was today that she left, wasn't it? Two years ago?"

"Is it?" Hatori asked idly.

"Don't be evasive," scolded Shigure, taking on a serious tone. He straightened up in his chair and pushed his dirty tea cups that littered the desktop aside. "We worry about you. Ayame and I both. And be glad that I didn't ask Aya to come over as well," Shigure added. "Though that was mostly for Yuki's sake."

"I should have figured you were up to something when you were so adamant about having me over," Hatori noted. "I appreciate your concern, Shigure, but I assure you it isn't necessary."

Shigure gave an exasperated sigh. "You're always so stoic, Ha'ri, it astounds me. Not like Teruo," he said, referring to the main character of his current book. "Now he would have given in to his emotions and raised up a storm. Shouted, cried, and have broken something. Which _you_ should try doing once in a while; it's very refreshing."

"Then what would you have me break? Yuki and Kyo seem to have a claim on the house, so that leaves your table and computer."

Amused, Shigure opened his mouth to speak, but just then there came a hesitant knock. Both men turned to see Tohru standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said breathlessly. "But I just wanted to let you know that dinner's ready."

"Oh, you're too kind, Tohru-kun," said Shigure affectionately, stubbing out his cigarette on the ashtray. "And it's about time Ha'ri here sampled some more of your delicious cooking!"

"Have you seen Kyo?" Tohru asked as they made their way down the hall. "I can't find him, and I don't want him to miss dinner."

"Oh, he's on the roof again," said Shigure dismissively.

Tohru looked shocked. "In this weather? But he'll get sick!" She moved towards the front door, but Shigure stopped her.

"Don't worry about Kyo, I'll go get him," he said, rolling his eyes. "Go get dinner." He added, gesturing towards the kitchen.

Hatori followed Tohru into the other room while Shigure went to collect their disgruntled cousin. He paused in the doorway, completely taken aback by how much food there was. Not only that, but how elaborate everything looked. Tohru must have been working on it all day.

"Er, I wasn't sure what you liked," said Tohru hesitantly, watching Hatori's expression carefully. "So I made a little of everything."

Hatori cleared his throat. "It looks delicious," he assured her, sitting down.

Tohru beamed. "Great! I'll go and get the tea!" she said, and rushed back into the kitchen.

"Are your dinners always this elaborate?" Hatori asked Yuki, who was already seated at the table.

"At first they were," Yuki said, shrugging. "I think she was trying to prove that she was capable of earning her keep. Now she usually only goes to all this trouble if it's a special occasion."

Hatori frowned. What kind of occasion was it for Tohru to have prepared such an elaborate meal? He hoped she hadn't gone to all this trouble on account of himself.

"-doesn't matter!"

"Kyo, while we do have a doctor with us, it wouldn't do you well to get sick," Shigure scolded from the hallway.

"I'm fine," Kyo snapped, appearing in the doorway and looking rather unhappy. "It's not even raining yet." He sat down roughly and without a word to either Yuki or Hatori, helped himself to the soup.

Shigure sat down as well, looking at the table in amazement. "My, my, our little bride has really gone to too much trouble!"

"Would you stop calling her that?" Yuki said, rubbing his temples.

"Yeah, it's really creepy," added Kyo, shooting Shigure a disgusted look. "And you," he continued, rounding on Hatori. "He's your friend—you should make sure he doesn't say such stupid things!"

Hatori ignored him.

"Now, Kyo, settle down," said Shigure patronizingly.

Kyo bristled at that. "Don't tell me what to do, you damn dog!"

"Shigure, you shouldn't incite him," Hatori admonished, shaking his head.

Just then Tohru appeared with a tea tray. "Oh, good, everyone's here!" She paused, looking around the table for a moment, then seemed to falter. "Er, Hatori-san? Is the food not to your liking?"

"What?" said Hatori distractedly, looking around. Shigure and the others had already filled their plates with food, and his remained empty.

"No, no, Tohru-kun, Haa-san here just has manners, unlike the rest of us," explained Shigure, filling his rice bowl well past its limit. "He waits until the hostess has seated herself."

Tohru blushed. "Oh, well—please don't wait on account of me!" she said quickly, setting the tea tray down and filling cups. "Hatori-san, would you like some tea?"

"Yes, thank you," said Hatori, feeling self-conscious now. He caught Tohru stealing another glance at his empty plate, and decided to help himself to the tonkatsu so that she wouldn't think he disliked her cooking.

"Shigure-san, how is your new book coming along?" Tohru asked, finally seating herself at the table.

"I'm stuck," said Shigure with a deep sigh. "I have the two lovers where I want them, but I can't seem to get them to do anything without it sounding contrived. Satomi's so kind-hearted, but Teruo is closed-off since his wife died. I have to somehow get Teruo to open up, but even Satomi can't wait forever."

"Is this another one of your romances?" Hatori asked, hoping Shigure knew better than to consult Tohru for advice on _those _projects.

"No, but it would be so much easier if it were," said Shigure, helping himself to seconds. "Tohru, you're a little like Satomi. How would you do it?"

Tohru blushed heavily and hesitated at being put on the spot. She picked at her food with her chopsticks. "Oh! Um, well, I don't know. I guess I would try to be Teruo's friend."

"Even though you're madly in love with him, and it kills you that he doesn't reciprocate?"

"Well, yes," said Tohru, wringing her hands in her lap. She paused, then said with more conviction, "I'm sure Satomi would be very hurt by loving someone who didn't love her back, but if you really loved someone, you would do what you thought was best for them. I think Satomi would ultimately be happy about having Teruo in her life, even if they are just friends. If she doesn't stick around as a love-interest, then maybe she will as his friend."

"Hmm," said Shigure thoughtfully. "But what about Teruo?"

"Well," said Tohru slowly. "I think he's afraid more than anything else. You said the other day that he blames himself for his wife's death, right? So maybe he feels guilty, like he doesn't deserve to be happy. That's why he's pushing Satomi away—not because he doesn't love her, but because he thinks he doesn't deserve to love her."

Shigure beamed at her. "Smart girl!"

Tohru blushed again. "Oh, I'm not that smart, really. It's just a thought, and I'm sure your ideas are much better."

"I'll need some kind of catalyst to make Teruo change his mind," said Shigure, more to himself than to the others. "Or should they fall in love slowly?"

"Well, I'm sure Shigure-san will figure it out," said Tohru confidently, refilling everyone's tea cups.

"You're right," said Shigure, wagging a finger at her. "I am a great novelist, after all!"

"Don't encourage him, Tohru," said Kyo darkly, sipping his tea. "His ego's big enough as it is."

"You're very perceptive, Miss Honda," said Yuki, smiling at her. "Perhaps you should consider becoming a novelist yourself."

"What? Oh—no! I'm sure I wouldn't be that good, not like Shigure-san!"

"You would be learning from the best!" said Shigure, taking the last of the sukiyaki. "High literature takes a while, but romances are easy to finish—"

"Shigure, you shouldn't encourage her to get involved with that racy garbage," said Hatori firmly, sipping his tea.

"Yeah, that's disgusting," Kyo added, glaring at Shigure.

Yuki ignored Shigure's comment and turned back to Tohru. "I'm serious, I think you could be really good."

Tohru beamed. "Really? You think so?"

"Of course."

Hatori watched as Tohru turned to Kyo hopefully. Kyo sighed, then relented. "Yeah, I guess you'd be okay, if that's really what you want to do. Just stay away from writing that romance crap Shigure's always doing."

Tohru's smile widened at Kyo's words, but Yuki frowned.

"I think Miss Honda would be very good at anything she chose to write. You don't?"

"That's not what I said, you _baka_!" Kyo snapped, his fragile temper flaring. "What I meant was I don't think she'd write that pervy crap Shigure's always doing!"

"Has everyone finished?" Tohru asked, glancing around at the empty dishes.

"Yes, thank you," said Hatori, handing Tohru his.

"It was delicious as always, Tohru-kun," said Shigure appreciatively, sitting back and patting his stomach. "And you boys, stop fighting over our hostess. Your jealousy isn't becoming."

"Who said anything about being jealous?" Kyo demanded, rounding on Shigure now. Hatori sighed; it seemed the boy was only able to keep his temper in check for so long.

"Are you finished as well, Kyo?" Tohru asked.

"Yes," Kyo snapped, standing up. "I'm going out."

Tohru hesitated at Kyo's abruptness.

"Don't stay on that roof for long!" Shigure called. "If you get sick, I'm sure Ha-san isn't going to want to deal with you after your behavior tonight!"

Kyo slammed the door in response.

"I'll help you with the dishes, Miss Honda," said Yuki, gathering the few plates left and standing up.

"Oh, well, thank you, Yuki!" said Tohru, smiling again as she headed towards the kitchen.

Shigure sighed when Yuki and Tohru had left the room. He rested his chin in his hand. "Well, they were better behaved tonight than they usually are. Normally they start fighting and Kyo breaks a part of my house."

"You have a strange habit of taking in strays," noted Hatori. "First Yuki, then Honda-kun, and now Kyo. Momiji and Kisa spend so much time here, it's only a matter of time before they move in as well."

"Yes, and to think my house used to be so quiet," said Shigure, shrugging. "Though it has been wonderful having a woman's touch around here," he added. "My little flower has been a real joy!"

"Somehow, that doesn't sound right coming from you," said Hatori, pulling out his pack of cigarettes.

"Before I forget," said Shigure, straightening up and changing the subject. "I was at the Shiraki's bookstore this morning. They said your book will be in tomorrow. If you're too busy, I'm going again this weekend. I'd be happy to pick it up."

"No, it's fine," said Hatori. "I don't mind going. I need a break from the Main House anyway."

Shigure looked thoughtful. "Akito wearing you out?"

"Among other things," Hatori replied, rubbing his temple. "I haven't left the House in a long time, anyway. I just need some fresh air."

Shigure nodded. He stretched, then asked, "Are you going to stay for desert? I'm sure Tohru-kun has something delicious prepared."

"No, I should be going," said Hatori, checking his watch. He got to his feet, and Shigure followed suit. "I have a lot of work to catch up on."

They walked towards the front door, where Hatori collected his coat and shoes. "Tell Honda-kun 'thank you' for the dinner," Hatori said, slipping his shoes on.

"She'll be so heart-broken you aren't sticking around for her desert," Shigure teased, leaning against the wall.

Hatori didn't rise to the bait. "I'm sure you'll eat enough for the both of us," he said, opening the door. Outside, the wind had subsided somewhat, but there were still leaves and twigs littering the front lawn. Hatori brushed off the debris from his front windshield, and got inside the car. Mechanically, he started up the engine and pulled onto the main road toward the Sohma compound. Once he neared the main gates, his cell phone went off.

It was Akito.

It was going to be another long night.


	2. Chapter 2

**"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant."****  
**- Anne Bradstreet

Chapter two:

Mayuko sighed, staring at a spot ahead of her. Her father was in the hospital again, and her mother was leaving in a few moments to go visit, leaving Mayuko behind to run the shop.

"I've already done inventory this morning," said Setsu Shiraki, setting a pile of books down on the counter next to Mayuko. "And I've pulled out all the online orders. So if you get bored, you can box them up to ship out."

"I've brought papers to grade," Mayuko said, leaning back in the chair. "And that will take ages, so don't worry about closing up the store tonight—I can do it."

Setsu smiled at her appreciatively as she pulled on her coat. "You're so helpful, Mayu. You'll make a wonderful wife someday," she added, sighing.

"Very funny," replied Mayuko dryly. At twenty-six, Mayuko was tearing apart her parents' hopes of her ever getting married.

"Well, I'll have my cell on me if you need anything," said Setsu before heading out the door.

Left alone in the store, Mayuko gazed around with distaste. It wasn't that she didn't like books—it was just that the store was exhausting. It was run as a hobby more than anything else, but her parents insisted that it shouldn't close on account of her father's health. This left Mayuko to be dragged in on a regular basis to run the place during what little spare time she had. Mayuko supposed she shouldn't complain; it was usually so dull around here that she had no choice but to grade papers and draw up lesson plans.

Mayuko pulled out a thick envelope from her bag and tossed it unceremoniously onto the counter and began to fish for a pen when the door opened. There was a pause, then—

"It's been a while."

Mayuko looked up. She was sure her heart stopped beating.

"How have you been, Mayuko-kun?" Hatori asked, always so polite. He looked exactly the same as he had the last time she'd seen him. It was like a single day hadn't passed.

"Fine," she managed to say, shrugging. "It's been two years now, right? Been keeping busy?" she asked, concentrating on keeping her tone light and casual.

"Just the usual," he replied. He walked up towards the counter, and Mayuko stopped breathing. "Shigure told me the book I'd ordered came in today."

"You ordered something?" Mayuko asked in surprise, quickly reaching for the bookkeeping. How had she missed his name?

"Well, I asked Shigure to order it for me."

"Oh," she said. No wonder. Shigure's name made it onto their list at least every other week. She frowned. "No, it won't be in until the end of the week," she said. Why would Shigure have told him that it was here now? She just saw him yesterday—

That idiot. He did this on purpose.

"Really?" Hatori asked, frowning. "Oh, well, I suppose that can't be helped," he said.

"I can mail it to you when it comes in," said Mayuko breathlessly. "I know how busy you are, and I feel bad making you come back again. If you just left your address—"

"No, it's fine," said Hatori. "I'll come back."

Mayuko tried to ignore the tight knot in her stomach that had formed at those words. She hadn't seen Hatori Sohma in two years, and now here he was! And he said he would come back….

"Right," she said. "Okay."

There was a split second's hesitation, then Hatori turned to leave. "I'll see you this weekend, then, Mayuko-kun."

The door closed quietly, and Mayuko was alone again.

Almost immediately Mayuko felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Why was she always so awkward around him? If she felt uneasy with their brief meeting, Mayuko couldn't imagine how uncomfortable Hatori must have been. Mayuko wished a hole would open up in the floor and swallow her completely.

Trying to shake off the cringing feeling, Mayuko opened up the envelope she brought, and extracted the day's exams. She tried to focus on grading, but all she could think about was Hatori.

As the minutes dragged on, Mayuko couldn't help but reflect on something about Hatori that was bothering her. He _did _seem more or less the same, but there was a strange difference about him, like a heaviness he couldn't shake from his shoulders. He had always been stoic, but he also seemed sad, somehow. Mayuko's heart wrenched at the thought.

She knew Hatori was heartbroken after Kana left, but was he still hurting now, even after two years?

Mayuko tapped her pen impatiently against the essay in her lap, not seeing the words. The only thing her mind could focus on was the fact that she would be seeing Hatori this weekend.

* * *

Mayuko had been unable to concentrate all week, knowing she was going to see Hatori again. She knew she was being ridiculous, that Hatori would never return her feelings, but Mayuko couldn't deny that just _seeing _Hatori again was electrifying and wonderful.

She had volunteered to run the store that weekend under the pretense that her mother could visit her father in the hospital.

"Oh, Mayu, you've been here nearly every day this week!" said Setsu, looking a little suspicious. "You're not meeting someone here, are you?" She lit up at that. "Oh, Mayu, how romantic! What's his name? Have I met him before?"

"No, there's no one," said Mayuko dully, hoping she sounded convincing. _Except for Hatori. _She grabbed her mother's coat from the desk and handed it to her firmly. "Remember to bundle up, because it's freezing outside. I don't need you getting sick, too. Then there's no hope I'd ever leave this store."

"Wait until I tell your father," said Setsu, clapping her hands together and looking uncannily like a giggling schoolgirl. "He'll be so happy—"

"Goodbye, mom," said Mayuko firmly, looking pointedly at the front door and back to Setsu. Her mother took the hint. She gave Mayuko one last wide grin and left.

Mayuko checked the clock. It was a little after nine in the morning. In the back of her head she knew Hatori was most likely to come here at the end of the day, after work, but she couldn't help thinking Hatori might show up any moment now. Mayuko checked her hair again, making sure it wasn't wild-looking from the wind outside. She had spent the entire week picking out something to wear as well, though she doubted Hatori would notice. Her clothes needed to say she was successful and independent, but also available if Hatori was interested. After trying on nearly her entire wardrobe, Mayuko settled on her regular weekend clothes. She didn't want Hatori to think she had dressed up for him, after all.

Trying to keep herself busy, Mayuko settled for re-alphabetizing the shelves. The children's section was the worst, and Mayuko spent over an hour fixing the mess. Not only were the books out of order, but there were ones that didn't belong, like cookbooks and guides on fishing. Mayuko supposed parents collected their screaming kids back here, and gave up on purchasing anything. Instead of carefully re-shelving their books, they just dumped them next to _The Tongue-cut Sparrow _and _Silly Saburo. _

Mayuko picked up the stack of misplaced books, and stumbled slightly under the awkward weight as she straightened up. She vaguely heard the door open, and instinctively called out, "I'll be right with you!" Mayuko set the stack on the front counter roughly. She looked up to see who had entered, and ended up tipping the books over in surprise.

"Oh-! Crap," she muttered, moving quickly to collect them.

"Here, let me help you," said Hatori, kneeling next to her. Mayuko could feel her cheeks burn, but wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or from being so close to Hatori. She quickly gathered up the fallen books and held them securely to her chest as she stood up.

"Thanks," she muttered, taking the books Hatori held out to her. There was a second's awkward hesitation, then Mayuko said, "Right, your book—it came in last night." She moved around behind the counter, and thumbed through a mismatched stack of files, papers, and books. She hastily removed the crossword puzzle she had been using as a bookmark—Mayuko wouldn't admit she was interested to see what kinds of books Hatori liked to read—and handed it to him.

"Let me know if there's anything wrong with it," she said. "If there are any markings or pages missing, that sort of thing."

"I'm sure it's fine," said Hatori, thumbing through the pages.

"I'm surprised you're here this early," said Mayuko, dividing the stack of books she had brought into categories so she could re-shelve them. "I was sure you wouldn't be free from work until late."

"I don't usually keep appointments on weekends," said Hatori, not looking up from the book. "I'm just on-call for emergencies, particularly with Akito."

Mayuko frowned. "Which one's Akito, again?"

"He's the head of the family," said Hatori, setting the book down while he extracted his wallet. "I don't think you've ever met him. He tends to be rather reclusive."

"That's right," said Mayuko, frowning. She had a sudden vision of Kana, lying curled up on the floor and crying about how she couldn't protect Hatori from Akito. Kana didn't remember any of this, of course, and Mayuko knew better than to bring up anything concerning the Sohmas. Shigure had made her promise not to in exchange for telling her about Hatori's memory suppression skills.

"Where are your parents?" Hatori asked, handing Mayuko a check for the book.

"Dad's in the hospital again, and mom's visiting," she said, shrugging. "So where've you been the past two years, stranger? I used to see you here all the time. Have you moved on to a better shop?" Mayuko asked. Her tone was teasing, but she really wanted to know.

"No," said Hatori seriously. "I tended to keep to the Sohma estate after Kana left. I didn't want to risk running into her here, and trigger a relapse."

"I'm sorry," Mayuko apologized quickly, feeling like an idiot. _Of course _that was why.

"No, it's fine," Hatori replied.

"No, that was insensitive," Mayuko insisted. "I should be put down."

Hatori cracked a small smile. Mayuko was so taken aback for a moment that she was sure she was imagining it. Hatori had smiled often when he was with Kana, years before, but during his visits to the shop Shigure had informed Mayuko that Hatori rarely smiled now.

"So what brings you back?" Mayuko asked. There was a warmth tingling in her body at the image of Hatori smiling, however fleeting.

"I just needed some fresh air," Hatori replied simply. Mayuko vaguely noticed that Hatori had set the book down on the counter, and his hands were in his pockets. He wasn't preparing to leave. "I've spent too much time at the Sohma estate lately."

"Well, reading's an excellent way to distract yourself," Mayuko said, sounding exactly like her mother.

"Shigure recommended this to me," said Hatori, nodding to the book between them. "Despite his more questionable works, I must admit he has good taste in books."

"I've read some of it," Mayuko said. _This morning. _"And I remember it being pretty good. Are you still sticking to the classics, or can I convert you to some modern literature?" she asked, moving around the counter. She led Hatori through a few shelves before stopping in the back of the store.

"Now, I know this is nothing like what you usually go for, but hear me out first," she said, running her fingers along book spines until she found the one she was looking for. "Here. 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.' It's a Western book from the 1940s. It's a lot different than 'Three Kingdoms,' but it will change your life."

Hatori took the book, and turned it over to read the summary.

"The language is simple and straightforward, but that's what's magical about it," said Mayuko, crossing her arms and looking at the book in Hatori's hands. "It gives the story a very raw, honest feeling. It's like you can feel your own soul opening up when you read it."

"I will give it a try," said Hatori, offering the faintest polite smile to Mayuko, whose heart skipped several beats.

Mayuko cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Well, I don't expect you to pay for my recommendation," she said hastily, walking back towards the front of the store. "Borrow it first, see if you like it."

"I really don't mind paying for it," assured Hatori, following her.

"Well, pay for it if you decide to keep it, but only then," Mayuko said, turning back around to face Hatori.

Hatori set the book on top of his first one. Mayuko noticed that he was hovering by the counter again. "What's it about?" he asked.

"Loneliness," Mayuko replied, looking at the book. "The characters are outsiders. They desperately want to connect with someone, but they don't really know how." Mayuko's gaze turned up to Hatori again. She just realized how stiff and uncomfortable the atmosphere had grown what with her babbling on about a depressing book and Hatori's closed-off expression. She forced her tone to take a lighter note. "I would get my students to read literature like this, but their attention span is pretty limited. You'd think I was asking them to read 'Genji.'

Hatori's expression softened again. "Shigure read 'Genji' when we were in high school. It took him some time to make any sense of it, but I remember he would not shut up about it once he finished it."

"Yes, my parents were really impressed by Shigure when they first met him," she said, shaking her head at the memory. "They admired that he was a writer, and how well-read he was, but I don't think they knew what to make of the rest of him." _And it's not going to matter, because I'm going to kill him for this._

"Well, I'm sure they've gotten used to him well enough the first time around," said Hatori.

Mayuko gave him a puzzled expression at that.

"You're dating again, aren't you?" Hatori asked, frowning slightly at the look on Mayuko's face. "Shigure said you had gotten back together."

Mayuko couldn't help herself. She sniggered at the idea of dating Shigure again, and then started laughing when she saw Hatori was watching her with the same stoic expression. "I'm sorry," she said hastily. "No, we're not dating. Not now, and not ever again," she added, inwardly cringing at the thought of dating someone out of loneliness again. "And I'm going to kill Shigure for suggesting that."

"Typical Shigure," said Hatori off-handedly. He checked his watch for the time. "Well, I need to get going," he said, collecting the two books from the counter.

Mayuko couldn't deny that part of her heart sank at the words. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to keep you from saving lives or anything," she said. For some reason, Mayuko felt that her voice didn't sound anything like her own. "Come back and tell me what you think of that book," she added as Hatori headed for the door. "You know, ideally before two more years pass."

Hatori gave her the faintest ghost of a smile. "Of course. I'll see you next time, Mayuko-kun."

Mayuko sank heavily into the chair behind the counter. She could feel a strange stinging pressure from behind her eyes, but refused to acknowledge it. It would be stupid and foolish to cry—and over what? It wasn't like Mayuko had expected Hatori would run in and announce his eternal love for her. She just couldn't believe she'd managed to make a fool of herself over and over in front of Hatori.

Mayuko angrily reached for the telephone to call Shigure and threaten him with every painful thing she knew of, but hesitated inches from the receiver. What if one of the kids picked up? She didn't need to explain to them why their teacher was calling the house.

"You're not getting out of this," Mayuko threatened, looking darkly at the phone. She sighed heavily, and leaned back against the counter. She looked out the windows near the front of the shop and vaguely wondered if any of the silver cars driving by were Hatori.

Shigure was right—she was pathetic for caring about Hatori this much. Mayuko sighed, and turned around to pick up one of the stacks of books to re-shelve. She managed to keep herself busy for the rest of the afternoon, but all Mayuko could see was Hatori's faint half-smile in her mind's eye.


	3. Chapter 3

**"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the landscape - the loneliness of it - the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it - the whole story doesn't show."**  
- Andrew Wyeth

Chapter three:

Sunday was quiet, and Hatori took the opportunity to catch up on the week's work. After dinner at Shigure's and the two trips to the Shiraki bookstore, Hatori found himself terribly behind in paperwork. Usually he would stay up in the night working, but Akito had been running a fever for the first half of the week and requiring every spare moment Hatori had.

Hatori considered having his nurse take care of the majority of the paperwork, but as strict and work-focused as Ayaka Sohma was, she was never as detail-oriented as Kana had been. That wasn't to say that Ayaka wasn't useful—she could quiet the loudest child and cow the most irate patients with only a look. Hatori supposed he had just grown accustomed to Kana's methods.

Hatori was filing away the day's charts in his office when there came a knock behind him.

"I figured you would be in here," said Shigure, opening the door and peering around. "Leave it to you to still find work on a Sunday."

"I fell behind this week, so I'm merely catching up," Hatori replied without looking at Shigure. "How did you get inside, anyway?"

"Yes, well, perhaps you should get another assistant," Shigure said, ignoring the question. He slid the door shut behind him and settled himself in one of Hatori's chairs. "Or make that Ayaka woman help you."

"Like you said, it's a Sunday, and I'm not going to call Ayaka-kun in for something as trivial as paperwork," said Hatori.

"You know it's going to take you ages by yourself?" Shigure said. His voice was annoyingly patronizing.

"And it'll take me longer still with you bothering me," Hatori countered, shooting Shigure a look before picking up a stack of files from his desk.

Shigure ignored the barb. Instead, he was looking at something else sitting on Hatori's desk. He picked up the book and examined the cover. "This isn't the one I ordered for you," he stated, glancing up at Hatori curiously.

"No, it isn't," Hatori replied neutrally.

"Hmm," mused Shigure, flipping through the pages. He looked at Hatori with raised eyebrows. "One of Mayu-chan's recommendations, then?"

"Yes, if you must know." Hatori glanced at Shigure, and was annoyed to see the man wearing an incredibly smug expression. "What?"

"And how is Mayu-chan these days?" Shigure asked, his grin widening.

Hatori was getting irritated. "Don't ask questions you already know the answers to. You've been in the Shiraki's store all week."

"You sound awfully defensive there, Haa-san," Shigure teased, flipping through the pages. Hatori sighed in exasperation. "Is there something you're trying to hide from me?" His eyes widened, and Shigure lowered the book suddenly. "Are you having a secret affair with our dear Mayu-chan?"

"Don't be stupid," Hatori reprimanded. "What are you doing here, anyway? And don't tell me you're out for a stroll to enjoy the weather—it's freezing outside."

"I went to see Akito, but he turned me away," said Shigure, shrugging. He set the book back down on the desk and leaned back comfortably in the chair. "I didn't want a trip to the Main House to go to waste. Besides, you've been holed up in here for weeks, and you haven't answered my calls in days. I had to make sure you weren't dead or missing."

"Well, you've verified your concerns," snapped Hatori. Shigure looked affronted at Hatori's biting tone, and Hatori sighed. Shigure's teasing never got to him so easily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you," he apologized. "I'm just tired. I haven't slept much in the past week." _Or at all._

"You're going to get as sick as Akito if you don't slow down," said Shigure, his voice serious now. "No one's going to die if you leave some—" He picked up one of the files from Hatori's desk and glanced at it. "—medication consolidation forms unfiled tonight."

Hatori snatched the paper out of Shigure's hands and filed it away in the correct chart. He sighed, and then to his own surprise, Hatori sank into his office chair and ran his hands over his eyes tiredly. "I feel like I can never catch up," he said. "I only see members of the family, and they still work me to death."

"So is this a bad time to ask for the influenza vaccine?" Shigure asked. "I'm kidding," he added at the dark look Hatori shot him. "I've had enough of you and your huge needles to last me a lifetime." Shigure loosened the tie he wore—he always wore a suit when visiting Akito—and leaned back comfortably in his chair. "Did you hear that Kisa's over? Apparently she's taken a real liking to Tohru."

"Yes, I did hear," said Hatori, pulling out a cigarette. Hatsuharu had been running around earlier in the week, knocking on everyone's doors in his attempt to find Kisa. It didn't take much for word to travel among the Sohma estate.

Shigure gazed at the cigarette dubiously. "Should you be smoking in the clinic?"

"This isn't the clinic, it's my office," Hatori replied, lighting it. He exhaled, then said, "Like I said, you have this strange habit of taking in strays. I suppose it's for the best, though. Kisa's mother was ready to snap after the girl ran away last week. I think the woman needs a break—it's not easy being a parent to a cursed child."

"The kids at school were teasing Kisa," Shigure commented, pulling out his own cigarettes. "They thought her hair color was funny."

"Kisa's too soft-hearted to stand up for herself," said Hatori. "Not like Hatsuharu—he used to chase the kids around and beat them up if they made fun of him. I think I cleaned up a dozen bloody noses around here because of him. And Ayame, when we were kids, was too confident in himself to pay attention to any teasing." Hatori sighed. "I wonder how Hiro is doing."

"Hiro?" Shigure questioned with a slight frown. "What about him?"

"Hiro has a soft-spot for Kisa," said Hatori. He took a drag on his cigarette, rubbed his temple, then said, "He told Akito about it, and Akito didn't respond favorably. Ever since, Hiro's been avoiding Kisa, hoping he can protect her from Akito if everyone thinks he's lost interest in her. You didn't know? I thought Akito told you everything."

"Even Akito doesn't trust me with everything," said Shigure wryly. "So Akito gave her the old black-and-blue treatment, then, huh?"

Hatori sighed, then said, "When the person you love gets hurt because of you, you feel worthless. Hiro's too young to know what to do about those feelings, so he avoids Kisa and then takes it out on everyone else around him. I imagine Kisa thought Hiro didn't like her anymore—and when she was getting picked on at school…it's no wonder she closed herself up."

Shigure looked thoughtful. "Maybe that's why Hiro doesn't like Tohru."

"What do you mean?" Hatori asked, flicking his cigarette into the ashtray.

"Tohru ran into Hiro on Friday, on her way to work," said Shigure. "Tohru thinks Hiro's adorable, but from the sound of it, Hiro was being a real brat. Tohru wouldn't admit as much, but I did get Momiji to say something. Tohru shows Kisa a warmth and friendliness no one else has been able to—her mother is too fragile, Hiro's too afraid—and so Kisa's latched on to her. Hiro must be jealous of her." Shigure grinned widely, then added, "Our little flower is really something, isn't she?"

"Our?" Hatori repeated, standing up again and returning to his filing.

Shigure sighed contentedly, and he stretched his arms behind his head. "Always so thoughtful and kind. Says exactly what they need to hear, and I don't know if she realizes it. She puts just about anyone at ease."

"Even Akito?"

Shigure pretended to look surprised. "Did I say that?"

"You don't need to, I know you well enough for that," said Hatori. His eyes narrowed in suspicion at Shigure, and he paused in his filing. "You need to stop your meddling before someone gets hurt. I don't know what it is you're planning, but you should really be thinking about Yuki and Kyo, and Honda-kun as well, for that matter."

"Relax," said Shigure dismissively. "I'm not plotting to throw our little flower to the wolves, or any other horrible scenario you've thought up."

"Then what are you plotting?"

Shigure gave Hatori a look. "You really want to know?"

Hatori looked at Shigure for a long moment. "No, I don't," he said slowly, turning back to his papers. "But I hope you at least have sense enough to be careful. You know what happens when Akito gets upset—it would be unfortunate for someone else to get punished in your place."

"Don't worry about Akito," said Shigure, his tone flippant again.

"I haven't slept all week because I worry about Akito," said Hatori pointedly. "And I know you see Akito in ways the rest of us don't," he added, seeing Shigure about to speak. "But that only means Akito's temper will explode exponentially."

"It sounds like you already know what my plans are," said Shigure thoughtfully.

"I have my suspicions." It was Hatori's turn to sound dismissive. "And in all good conscience, I can't help you." He sighed, then added reluctantly, "But at the same time, I won't stop you, either."

Shigure smirked at that. "You worry too much, Haa-san," he said.

Hatori slid his last chart into the shelf. "You don't worry enough."

* * *

Come Monday, Hatori was glad that he spent his weekend locked up in the clinic, trying to catch up.

Weekday mornings were reserved for appointments, and the last several hours were spent in open-clinic, where most of the family—too lazy to make appointments—dropped in with complaints of various ailments. Many times family members dropped in during off hours, insisting to see the doctor. Hatori usually had pockets between appointments where he could fit someone in at the last moment, but Monday had been booked full. Everyone seemed to have the cold or the flu, and those who didn't insisted they did, anyway. The small sitting area just outside the clinic was unusually loud, and even Ayaka was too busy to silence them with one of her looks. After numerous antibiotic prescriptions, orders to rest and to stay home from work, and culture collections, Hatori stopped looking at the clock and resigned himself to staying at the clinic forever.

It snowed on Tuesday, which was unusual for the time of year but not unheard of.

"Maybe it'll keep everyone away during clinic hours," said the old woman from whom Hatori was collecting a blood sample. "People don't like to go out in the snow and ice."

Hatori and Ayaka knew better, of course, and spent every down moment catching up on the previous days' paperwork. Snow had a tendency to draw people into the clinic like a magnet. As if on schedule, a more distant family member brought her three young children into the front room of the clinic, looking frantic and yelling at her kids.

"They had a snowball fight," she told Hatori breathlessly, who looked from one bloodied face to the other. "And they decided to fill those snowballs with rocks, and then the snowball fight turned into a fistfight."

"Stop your crying," Ayaka commanded the youngest child, pulling him forward and examining his bloody nose.

Hatori took the middle child, who was holding a fistful of cloth to his brow. "You might need stitches," he told the child, examining the injury. The boy—barely nine, by the looks of him—turned to his mother fearfully.

"Well, that's what you get for throwing rocks," she said, rubbing her temple.

Hatori went into the back storage room and re-appeared with something in his hand. "Here, hold this to your eye while I look at your brother," Hatori told the child, holding out an icepack. "It's easier when there's less swelling."

The boy took the ice from Hatori, and gingerly brought it to his face, wincing at the contact. Last was the oldest boy, who looked defiantly back at Hatori.

"I don't need anything," he said, crossing his arms. "I'm fine."

"Hiroki!" the woman scolded. "That's no way to speak to Sensei!"

Hiroki shrugged stubbornly. "Whatever, it's true."

"He's right, Ayaka-kun," said Hatori, eyeing the boy's face. There were a few scrapes and bruises, but nothing serious. "Can you clean him up while I take the other boy into the back?"

Ayaka didn't look up from the youngest child, whose face she was cleaning mechanically, ignoring his tears. "Of course, Hatori-san."

Hatori beckoned for the middle child to follow him to one of two examining rooms. The boy followed, but stood frozen in the doorway until Hatori turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow. As if snapping back to life, the boy put on a brave face and climbed onto the examining table, ice still held over one eye.

"Who started the idea of throwing rocks?" Hatori asked, shutting the door and pulling on a pair of latex gloves. It was usually easier to perform any tasks requiring needles if the patient was kept distracted. For some reason, children were usually easier than adults.

"No one really started it," said the boy, watching Hatori slowly pile the tray with terrifying-looking tools. "Some of the snowballs were just really compacted, like ice." He shrugged.

"And the fist fight?" Hatori asked, opening packets of gauze.

The boy grimaced at that. "I told Fuyuki to stop throwing the rocks, because he'd already hit someone's car. He got annoyed and threw one at me, but he missed and hit Hiroki. That's when Hiroki threw a punch."

"If your brothers were fighting, how did you end up being the one who needed stitches?" Hatori asked, pulling the boy's hand away from his face and examining the cut again.

The boy shivered under Hatori's touch. "I was trying to stop them," he said. "They're always fighting."

"This will sting a little," warned Hatori just before he began cleaning out the wound. The boy winced slightly at the touch, but was otherwise still. There were several long minutes of silence while Hatori worked and the boy sat with his eyes squinted shut, knuckles white against the edge of the table.

When the cut was clean, Hatori picked up a syringe of anesthetic. The boy's eyes widened.

"Just try to relax," ordered Hatori, tapping the syringe to remove any air bubbles. Methodically, he moved towards the boy's brow and injected the anesthetic. "Give it a few moments, and you won't feel a thing," Hatori said, glancing at the boy, who looked like he had been fighting to keep a straight face. The boy nodded once, jaw clenched shut.

Hatori opened up the suture kit while he waited for the anesthetic to kick in. He was threading the needle when the boy spoke again.

"I heard a story from one of the other kids. She said it was true, but I don't know if I believe her."

"What story is this?" Hatori asked without looking up.

"That there's a curse," the boy whispered. Hatori hesitated for a split second, but kept his features perfectly schooled. "They say that members of the family turn into animals."

"What do you think?" Hatori asked, careful to keep his tone neutral.

The boy shrugged. He gingerly reached to touch his brow.

"Don't touch it, or I'm going to have to clean it all over again," Hatori warned.

The boy's hand dropped. "It's weird," he said. "I can't feel my face." They were silent for several minutes while Hatori worked, then the boy spoke again. "Is there a curse? That turns people into animals?"

"Why do you think I would know?" Hatori asked blandly, tying the last suture.

"Because you're a doctor," said the boy knowingly. "You see everyone, and do their check-ups and stuff."

Hatori set down the suture tools. "If there is a curse," he said indifferently as he taped a piece of gauze over the site. "then they've done a good job keeping it secret from me."

"Yeah," said the boy, a little disappointed. "I thought it sounded pretty stupid, too."

"You're all finished," said Hatori, removing his gloves with a _snap. _"You can go back out, now."

The boy slid off the examination table and walked into the front room, where his mother and two brothers were waiting. Hatori followed, and was relieved to see that the youngest had finally stopped crying. He had a headache forming, and he didn't need it aggravated any further.

"You'll need to come back in four days to get the sutures removed," Hatori told the mother as he removed a notepad from his coat pocket. "The anesthetic is going to wear off soon, so be sure to give him some ibuprofen to help counter the swelling. Ayaka-kun can set you up with an appointment."

Hatori picked up the chart that Ayaka had already pulled from the office and paper-clipped his notes to it before tossing it into the basket he would go over at the end of the day. He sighed at the size of the stack, and had a sudden urge for a cigarette. Hatori checked his watch for the time.

"Is it just me, or is this family getting sicklier and into more trouble?" Ayaka asked as she slid the door shut behind the boys. "I know you think you can handle all the family's problems on your own, Hatori-san, but you should really consider getting another assistant. That Kana we used to have around here—things were never smoother with her around."

Hatori looked at the towering stack of charts on the desk, and sighed. After Kana left, Hatori never considered getting a new assistant. In fact, he had been grateful to take on all the work himself, because it kept him distracted almost every minute of every day. But now, two years later, it was starting to wear Hatori down. Maybe it was time to get a new assistant.

The rest of the week passed with slightly less drama. Akito's health was improving as much as could be expected, the cold weather had regressed into a damp 50 degrees, and Hatori and Ayaka had finally caught up on paperwork.

Of course, Ayaka took every opportunity to hint that they needed a new assistant. It wasn't that Hatori was against the idea—he had just never really considered it, and had no idea where to look. Kana had been easy—she was a member of the Sohma family and wanted some experience before graduating medical school. Her position in Hatori's clinic started out as an arrangement more than actual need. Maybe Ayaka was right—Hatori was sure the clinic had never been this overwhelmed before.

However, if Hatori got an assistant, he would need Akito's approval. Kana was a member of the family, and so Akito hadn't worried too much about what would happen if she found out about the curse. But as far as Hatori knew, there were no aspiring doctors in the family, and he would have to find someone from outside.

Akito wouldn't be happy about that.

Finally, by Friday, Ayaka stopped her hints and cornered Hatori in his private office, which was situated across the hall from the clinic.

"We need an assistant, Hatori-san," she said, sounding like she was giving an order. She was rather short and squat, but managed to look intimidating with her crossed arms and stern expression.

Hatori looked up from his desk in slight surprise. Ayaka was never so direct with him—he suspected that, despite Ayaka's own fearsome reputation, she was a little afraid of him. But whatever fear she had, Ayaka kept it well hidden under her patronizing gaze.

"I'm not trying to overstep my authority," she continued, as if trying to explain her sudden bravery towards Hatori. "But this is getting ridiculous. Every time I come to the clinic early, you've already been here for hours, and when I leave late, you're still working. It isn't good for your health, Hatori-san."

_She's worried about my health? _Hatori thought with surprise. _I thought she was just annoyed about being over-worked._

"I have a friend whose niece is in medical school," Ayaka continued. "Her last year. I'm sure she will be grateful for the job."

Hatori opened his mouth to speak, but was saved the task of answering when his cell phone suddenly rang. "Excuse me," he said, pulling it out of his pocket and answering. "This is Hatori Sohma." There was a pause while he listened. "I'll be right there," he said quickly, jumping out of his chair and grabbing his keys from his desktop. He hung up the phone and turned to Ayaka. "I'll be back in half an hour," he said as way of an apology.

"Don't worry, Hatori-san," she said, stepping out of the way. "I've already closed up the clinic and did the charting. Take your time."

"Thank you. Have a nice weekend, Ayaka-kun," Hatori said before rushing through the dim hall that separated his office and the clinic, and out the front door. He made his way around the drive towards his parked car, and got inside. He couldn't believe he had forgotten to pick up Momiji from violin practice. Hatori collected the boy every Friday evening at seven o'clock, but had somehow managed to forget it entirely tonight.

Fifteen minutes later, Hatori pulled up in front of the music store, where Momiji was waiting inside.

"I'm sorry about being so late," said Hatori as Momiji opened the car door. "I lost track of the time. Though—" Hatori checked his watch. "Why did you wait for almost an hour to call me?"

Momiji buckled his seat belt. "I figured you were busy, and just running late," he said, shrugging. "I didn't want to bother you. Besides, Papa called and we talked for a bit."

Hatori shook his head as he pulled back into traffic. "Next time, please bother me. It's rude of me to promise to pick you up and then forget about it."

Momiji leaned back in his seat, uncharacteristically silent. Hatori stole a glance at the boy's face, and saw that he looked unhappy. Was he angry that Hatori had been so late?

"Well, you don't have to worry about picking me up anymore," mumbled Momiji.

Hatori frowned. Was Momiji really so upset with him that he didn't want Hatori picking him up anymore? "Momiji, you're being unr-"

"Papa says he wants me to stop violin lessons," interrupted Momiji, determinedly looking out the window. "Momo just started, and he doesn't want us in the same class, in case Mama sees me."

The car was silent for several minutes. As they were stalled at a red light, Hatori turned to look at Momiji, who was staring gloomily out the window. As if sensing his gaze, Momiji turned around and sighed. "Papa says Momo wants to start violin lessons, too. And he said normally it wouldn't matter, but Momo's really curious about me. We ran into each other at Papa's work a while ago, and Papa says Momo talks about me sometimes. He doesn't want her or Mama to see me, in case Mama starts to remember."

Hatori's brows knitted together as traffic moved again. Finally, he said, "If he's afraid Momo's getting too interested in you, then forcing you to stop lessons isn't going to help. If anything, it'll just make the girl more curious—she'll wonder where you've gone."

Momiji stared out the window and didn't respond.

"I'll give your father a call tomorrow and talk to him," Hatori said, taking the exit that would lead to the Sohma estate. "At the very least, you can switch days. There's no real reason why you should have to stop altogether."

Momiji brightened at that. "Would you, Ha'ri? Oh, that would be wonderful, because my teacher's really good! The best in Tokyo! And we've got another recital coming up soon. I brought the flier with me," he said, pulling a folded piece of paper out of his coat. He handed it to Hatori, who pocketed it without tearing his eyes away from the road. "I hope you can make it! We're doing solos this time!"

"I will if I can," said Hatori. The street—previously lit by lamps and buildings lights—was now dark and surrounded by trees. They were reaching the city's outer limits, where the Sohma estate was situated.

"And maybe Tohru can come, too! She's never heard me play before," continued Momiji, straightening up in his seat a little. It seemed Hatori's promise to speak to his father put Momiji in a much better mood.

"You'll have to ask her," said Hatori, pulling onto a private, narrow lane that was almost completely hidden by the trees. They passed the drive that led to Shigure's house, and after a moment, were passing the houses that made up the bulk of the "outside." Hatori maneuvered his car through the estate's inner gates, and drove slowly towards the Main House. Momiji lived alone in a small house that adjoined the eastern side of the Main House. The small place was serviced regularly by servants, and Momiji was almost fifteen, but Hatori still didn't feel right dropping the boy off to an empty home.

Momiji noisily collected his things and climbed out of the car. "Thanks for the ride, Ha'ri! And for talking to Papa for me—of course, you haven't done that yet, but thanks in advance! Oh—you have something to eat for dinner, right?"

Hatori tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. Occasionally Hatori would let Momiji stay over, and Momiji had discovered just how bad Hatori's eating habits were on the first night. Ever since, the boy made it a point to ask Hatori if he was eating correctly. "Yes, I still have leftovers in my fridge."

Momiji's eyes narrowed in slight suspicion. "You're eating more than just _soba, _right? And you're going to sit down and eat it—you won't stand in your kitchen with your charts again?"

Hatori rubbed an eye tiredly, feeling a little embarrassed that a teenager was coddling him. "Good night, Momiji," said Hatori firmly.

"_Guten nacht, _Ha'ri!" said Momiji before slamming the car door shut.

Hatori waited until Momiji had disappeared inside before turning his car around and heading to his own house. It was his first night in a long while where he was actually free, but Hatori would spend it like any other night—go over paperwork in his office while he ate something relatively tasteless that required little effort or time. He parked his car and walked around towards the back—past the closed clinic—and unlocked the private entrance that led to the upstairs section of the house. Hatori's grandparents had added the clinic as an attachment to the house years ago; Hatori's father had said he speculated they did this in order to cut down on the number of house calls that occurred each day.

Hatori turned on the lights, slid off his shoes, and dropped his keys on the small table near the entrance. He removed his coat and tossed it onto the western-style couch like he did every night, and ambled towards the kitchen.

The kitchen itself was well-stocked with dishes and cooking utensils, but Hatori rarely used anything beyond a single pot or frying pan. Mostly he ate leftovers from the lunches that were delivered to the clinic by the Main House; otherwise it was something instant, like soba with pre-packaged broth. Hatori opened his refrigerator, which was bare except for a few condiments and a single, packaged meal on the middle shelf. Hatori pulled it out and set it on the counter. The maids who cleaned his house everyday had long-since grown accustomed to collecting the leftover lunch from Hatori's office and storing it away for him.

Hatori filled the tea kettle with water, and leaned against the counter listlessly while he waited for it to boil. His nightly routine was dull and predictable, but it was also easy and was the only real quiet time Hatori had. Once the tea was done, Hatori collected his cold dinner and made his way downstairs to his office. He flipped on the lights and set the food down, and was about to grab a stack of paperwork when he spotted Mayuko's book sitting on the desk. Hatori had managed to get through a third of it so far, which was actually quite significant given how little personal time he had. Hatori sat down at the desk and pulled the book towards him—he didn't have anything pressing to attend to, and the paperwork Hatori had been planning to look at could wait a little longer….

It was late when Hatori remembered to check his watch for the time. He had been so engrossed in the book that he lost track of the time. Hatori reached for the stray piece of paper he had been using as a bookmark and cast a dark look at the pile of papers sitting on the corner of his desk. If he was honest with himself, he just really didn't feel like working on them—everything about the clinic and the Sohma estate was exhausting him.

Hatori took the empty lunchbox upstairs to the kitchen, where he tossed it into the trash. He cast a dark look around the spotless kitchen. When Kana had been his assistant, she balked at Hatori's poor eating habits. When they worked late into the night, Kana had always insisted on cooking dinner for them. Now that she was gone, his kitchen had fallen back into disuse.

Hatori turned off the light and headed to his bedroom. He tossed his clothes unceremoniously onto the floor before climbing into bed. Like every night, Hatori set his alarm for six and placed his cell phone on the bedside table in the event that Akito called in the night. He pulled the blankets up past his shoulders, rolled over, and fell into an uneasy sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my heart.**

**Victor Hugo**

Chapter four:

Mayuko yawned as she unlocked the door to the classroom. It was early, and the second coffee in her hand hadn't quite kicked in yet. Mayuko set down her bag on the desk and sat down without removing her coat. She took a sip of the coffee and yawned again. She had been up late the night before for no real reason at all—it was a terrible habit she had yet to break.

Mayuko forced herself to slip out of her coat and extract her folders from the bag in front of her. She was not a morning person, and reflected every day on the train ride into work whether or not she was self-destructive—why else would she select a profession that required her to be up at the crack of dawn?

Distantly the first warning bell rang, and Mayuko groaned inwardly. Maybe if she assigned the class to read the whole period, she could sneak in a nap.

After a few minutes, the students began to trickle in, looking tired but chatting happily with their friends. Mayuko downed the rest of the coffee, ignoring the sharp burn of the hot liquid on the roof of her mouth. The last bell rang, but it didn't deter the chatter of her students.

"All right, settle down," she said, stretching. Mayuko leaned against the front of her desk and folded her arms, pulling the sleeves of her sweater tightly around her hands. "How did the final chapters of _The Woman in the Dunes _go?"

A few students rubbed their eyes tiredly and fidgeted in their seats. One girl raised her hand. "I just don't understand why he would stay. I mean, through most of the book, he was basically being held prisoner, and he couldn't stand the woman."

"Do you think Junpei resigned himself to his fate to stay in the village?"

The girl shrugged. "It sounded like he had halfway through, but at the end, he had a chance to leave and he didn't take it."

Mayuko smiled wryly. "Was he brainwashed?"

A few students smirked at each other.

"Do you think that's what happened? Junpei just got so used to his prison that he couldn't comprehend leaving? I mean, he'd been there for seven years. Or do you think he made the conscious choice to stay?"

The girl spoke up again. "I think he went crazy. He worked so hard to leave, and the villagers kept finding ways to hold him prisoner. I think he just gave up and accepted it as his fate. Maybe he thought if he escaped, it would be pointless, because the village would just find him again."

Mayuko glanced once around the classroom. "Kishida, you look like you disagree."

The girl named Kishida straightened up at her name being called. "Well, he was in love with the widow, wasn't he? Junpei still wanted his old life, but he had found a new one, as weird as it was. I think Junpei thought he wanted to leave, but once the opportunity was there, he realized he didn't."

Mayuko nodded thoughtfully. "Let's talk about the sand. It's almost a character unto itself, isn't it? It's what the widow is digging up, it supports the village, it traps Junpei, and it's even what Junpei falls back on to stay sane in the village. The sand is almost a supernatural force—it's like a bond that keeps Junpei in his situation. Is the sand like a curse? Or do you think it's a blessing? Honda? What do you think?"

Tohru Honda looked startled at being called on, just as Mayuko anticipated. The girl was always so quiet in class, but her papers were startlingly thoughtful, and Mayuko made sure to worm a few comments out of Tohru at least once a week.

"I think it can be viewed both ways," she said slowly. "The sand supports the village financially, and towards the end of the book, Junpei masters a technique with the sand to stay sane. In that respect, the sand is a blessing. But on the other hand," she said, clearing her throat. "It traps Junpei in the village when he's trying so hard to get out. But I don't think the sand itself is a curse—I think it looks like one because its purpose became warped in Junpei's situation. It went from being something that was helpful to a hindrance, because it trapped Junpei in a place he tried so hard to escape from."

"So what do you make of him choosing to stay behind? Is that just part of the curse?"

Tohru bit her lip in thought. "He grew to love the woman, didn't he? I think the sand kept getting in his way of escape, but ultimately it wasn't a dictating factor. He still chose to stay for the woman."

"Do you guys think Junpei had free will in this story?" Mayuko asked, sitting on the top of her desk. She vageuly wondered whether she could leave to grab a third coffee from the staff lounge. Maybe after the first period...

A boy raised his hand. "I think so. Junpei worked so hard to escape, but he chose to stay behind. He wasn't forced to. And the woman, too—she doesn't _have _to shovel sand for her community, but she chose to."

"So with that sense of obligation, does it even matter that they have free will?" Mayuko asked. "Could the woman have just told her village, 'Sorry, too bad,' and walked off?"

"She could, but then the village would chase her."

Mayuko smiled at that. "The woman chose the needs of the community over her own. Would any of you dig sand all day for someone else? Shinoda, you want to be a biologist, right? Would you give that up to dig sand all day?"

Shinoda pulled a face. "Probably not."

"But what about doing it for your classmates? Your family? If it meant supporting them financially—keeping food on the table and a roof over their heads—would you do it?"

Shinoda shrugged. "I guess if it was my last option. But it would be so messed up. I mean, _sand_?"

"Am I safe to say that it's love for your family that would make you do that?" Mayuko asked. "So if love makes you do something as asinine as dig up sand all day, is it really worth it? I mean, if all love gets you is a job digging in the sand, is love even worth it anymore? Or does it stop being love at some point, and turn into something else?"

Surprisingly, Yuki raised his hand. Taken aback, Mayuko called on him. "Yes, Sohma?"

"I think love could get a person to do almost anything, but only if it's the giver who's making the choice. The widow chose to support her community—they didn't force her, like they did with Junpei. So that's free will and love. But Junpei was forced to do the exact same thing—and because he was forced, it wasn't love so much as a curse."

"So what do you think made him stay behind?"

Yuki shrugged. "Obligation. He was forced to do something for so long, that maybe it didn't occur to him that he could say no. He probably didn't even consider escape all too seriously towards the end. I think he settled, and just learned to live with it."

Tohru stole a glance at Yuki. For some reason, there was a strange expression on the girl's face that Mayuko couldn't quite place.

"Mayu-sensei, I have a question about the paper you want us to write," said one of the boys in the back. Mayuko took her gaze off of Tohru and turned to the student.

"You waited until the day before it's due to ask questions?" she asked wryly. "All right, Nagano, what's your question? It'll cost you fifty points."

The rest of the day seemed to pass in a sort of haze. Mayuko was vaguely aware of teaching, but her brain felt foggy and made it hard to focus. As she packed up her belongings at the end of the afternoon, Mayuko hoped she hadn't supplied her students with any false information. Mayuko was halfway off the school grounds when her cell phone went off.

"Hi mom."

"Oh, Mayu, why didn't you tell us?" came Setsu's excited voice from the other end.

"Tell you what?" Mayuko asked, frowning.

"A very handsome man just came in asking for you, Mayu! You never told us you had a boyfriend!"

Mayuko's frown deepened. "Mom, that's just Shigure—we're not dating anymore, remember? He's probably just trying to annoy me—"

"Shigure?" Setsu intoned. "No, Mayu, he said his name was Hatori."

Mayuko stopped dead in her tracks. "What?" she asked weakly.

"Hatori, dear! He was just here, asking for you! He said you loaned him a book, and he was paying you back for it."

Mayuko realized she was standing in the middle of the path, and started walking again. Her heart was beating a million times a minute, and her head felt light. "Is he still there?" she asked, having half a mind to run to the shop.

"No, no, he's left. Said he didn't have much time." Setsu sighed contentedly on the other end. "So when is the wedding?"

Mayuko grimaced. "There's no wedding, mom. Hatori-kun and I aren't even dating. He's just a friend—I know him through Kana."

"Well, Kana-chan didn't snatch him up when she had the chance, so it's up to you! Don't let such a handsome man go to waste!"

Mayuko unstuck her throat. She always had a constricted feeling in her chest whenever someone off-handedly mentioned Kana and Hatori. "Yeah, I don't think it's going to work out that way."

Setsu sighed into the phone. "Mayuko, you're killing us here. You're well past marriageable age, and you've got such a good-looking man asking for you. You'll never get an opportunity like this again!"

Mayuko pulled her coat tighter about herself as she walked down the street. "Yeah, okay, mom. I'll talk to you later, all right?"

Mayuko spent the train ride into her neighborhood brooding about Hatori. She had managed to avoid thinking about him too much lately, but now he was front and center again. She wasn't necessarily surprised that he had gone to the family store, but she was taken aback that he had actually been asking for _her. _Mayuko was sure it was nothing more than paying for the book she had loaned him, but she couldn't help but feel a jump in her stomach at the thought.

Shigure was right. She was worse than pathetic to still be this much in love with Hatori.

Mayuko exited the train when it stopped at her station. She wormed her way through the evening commuter crowd and walked down the dim street to her apartment. Vaguely Mayuko wondered when she would next see Hatori—now that Hatori had paid for his book, there wasn't a reason that they would run into each other again. Not unless the man decided to return to the store, and she just happened to be working.

Mayuko sighed, and wondered if it made her a crazy person to consider working the store on weekends in the hopeful event that Hatori eventually showed up.

Mayuko unlocked her apartment, slid off her shoes, and tossed her keys on the small table she kept next to the door. She made a beeline towards the kitchen, where she hung her coat on the back of one of the chairs at the breakfast bar, and dumped her bag on top. Before doing anything else, Mayuko pulled out the ingredients for dinner and got the rice-cooker going. As a child, Mayuko's mother had drilled into her the importance of cooking meals, and it was only later that Mayuko realized it was because cooking was a desirable skill in a potential wife.

Either way, Mayuko had grown fond of cooking. It was a task that was both distracting and mindless, and she enjoyed toying with the recipes to accommodate her moods. Back in college, she and Kana did a considerable amount of stress-cooking; when studying for final exams and writing papers became too much, Kana would call up Mayuko and they would cook some foreign dish that neither of them could quite pronounce.

With dinner finished, Mayuko brought her plate to the breakfast bar and extracted her lesson plans from her bag. Mayuko used to sit at a table and eat, but it started to feel lonely and pathetic after a while. Now her dining table was used as a place for storing mail, newspapers, and random objects that didn't quite have a home. By eating in the kitchen and working, Mayuko had given herself an excuse for eating alone every night.

The moment she sat down, her cell phone went off. Mayuko dug around for it in her coat pocket, expecting her mother again. When she answered it, however, she was surprised to hear Shigure's voice.

"Hello, Mayu-chan! How are things going along?"

"Shigure?" Mayuko said incredulously. "What do you want?" She was so surprised to hear from Shigure that she didn't bother worrying about how rude her tone sounded.

"My, my, Mayuko, are you always so abrupt with people?" Shigure teased.

Mayuko rolled her eyes. "Only with my ex-boyfriend."

"Ouch," said Shigure, not sounding hurt in the slightest. "Anyway, I'm calling to inform you that I will need you to be at the bookstore on Saturday. I don't know the exact time, so if you could arrange to be there all afternoon, that would be perfect."

Mayuko paused, immediately suspicious. "What on earth for?"

"Well, the forecast says heavy rain on Saturday, so I can't very well walk to the store, can I? I will have to have Haa-san drive me—"

"Shigure, don't—"

"—because I have a deadline coming up, and I'm going to need some research materials. It'll all be very last minute, so if you could pretend you and I never had this conversation, that would be even better."

Mayuko sighed. "Shigure, why do you do crap like this? You're making my life so difficult—"

"Difficult? Ne, I think I'm doing you some good, Mayu-chan," said Shigure dismissively. "Let me guess—you're eating dinner alone in your kitchen, going over essays or something?"

Mayuko looked down at the lone dinner and the folders on the counter. "No, of course I'm not," she said defensively.

"Haa-san is going to need a firm, heavy push in the right direction, Mayu-chan," said Shigure, sounding extremely satisfied with himself. "You're going to have to put up with my machinations if you want Haa-san. And you'll have to do whatever I ask to ensure that the fateful lovers meet up again."

Mayuko's temper flared. "You really are enjoying this, aren't you?"

"I owe it to Ha'ri, but yes—I figured I should have some fun! You know, with it being Haa-san and all, it might take five or ten years to get him to warm up. But you've persisted in loving him this long, haven't you? It should be no trouble at all—"

Mayuko's patience broke. "Shut up! Don't you ever call me again!" she snapped. She hung up the phone and had an urge to throw it, but knew it wouldn't do her any good. Instead, she took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, slumping into her chair. As irritated as she was with Shigure, Mayuko couldn't deny that a part of her was elated at the prospect of seeing Hatori again.

Mayuko sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes. She really was pathetic. Who else in their right mind would go along with Shigure's insane schemes?

* * *

Come Saturday, Mayuko went to the bookstore just as Shigure had asked. She volunteered to man the register while her parents counted stock in the back room—this way she could catch Hatori and Shigure before her parents said anything too embarrassing. Of course, working the shop also forced Mayuko to go over the week's essays, as she didn't have much else to do. The poor weather was deterring much of the crowd.

A little past noon, the front door opened for the first time in over two hours, and Mayuko looked up to see an animated Shigure talking with Hatori.

"Ah, Mayu-chan! So you're moonlighting again today, are you?" Shigure asked pleasantly, walking towards the counter.

Mayuko's grip tightened on the pen she was using to grade. "It's hardly moonlighting if I'm being forced into it," she said calmly.

Shigure gave her a wink that went unnoticed by Hatori. "Well, I need some research materials. What have you got on Renaissance Europe?"

"Well, that's a really broad category," said Mayuko, tapping the pen against the papers in her lap. "Are you looking for literature, or do you want more of a history?"

"You know, I should probably get both," said Shigure thoughtfully, tapping a finger against his chin. "I like to be thorough."

Mayuko set down her essay and stood up. "Well, history will probably cover most of your bases," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral and business-like when she would have preferred to turn around and strangle Shigure. "Here, I'll show you—"

"Ne, I can find it myself, Mayu-chan," said Shigure pleasantly. "I'll just be a moment, Haa-san!" he called over his shoulder as he disappeared between the shelves.

Hatori sighed, and Mayuko turned to him, just realizing that they were left alone at the front of the shop. _Shigure did this on purpose, _Mayuko thought darkly.

"So Shigure managed to drag you out of the estate, huh?" Mayuko asked.

"Yes, he claimed he had a deadline sneak up on him," said Hatori, hands in his pockets. "Though I'm not sure if I believe him. I imagine he's avoiding his editor and was just too lazy to pay for a taxi to take him into town."

"Yeah, that sounds like something he would do," said Mayuko, rolling her eyes. She tapped her fingers against the counter, then said conversationally, "What did you think of the book?"

"Oh, the one you recommended? I did like it," said Hatori. "though I admit I haven't finished it yet. I don't have too much spare time."

"Well, if you ever need future recommendations, I can always find you something," said Mayuko. "I know you prefer old literature, and we tend to get new shipments in about every three weeks—"

"Oh, Shigure-san! I didn't hear you come in!" came Setsu's voice from the back of the shop. Mayuko smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"Yes, I'm just getting some research for my newest book."

"Mayu, where are you?" Setsu called loudly. Mayuko sighed. "You're not on your lunch break, are you? You shouldn't make Shigure-san look all by himself!" Setsu suddenly appeared from behind a shelf with a box of books in her arms. She stopped dead when she saw Hatori and Mayuko, and her face split into a wide grin. "Oh! Hatori-san, wasn't it? I'm pleased to see you back so soon!"

Mayuko could feel her cheeks burn. "I'll take those, Mom," she said firmly, taking the box from her mother. "Does Dad need your help in the back?" she asked pointedly.

Setsu ignored her. "How are you? Can I have Mayu help you find anything?"

"I'm fine, thank you," said Hatori. "I came with Shigure."

"Mayu, why don't I watch the register for a while?" Setsu offered, not bothering to mask the pleasure in her voice. "You haven't eaten lunch yet, have you? Why don't you take Hatori-san with you so he's not waiting around here?"

"Yes, I think I'm going to be a while," added Shigure, walking up to the counter with a few books in his hands. "There's no sense in the two of you waiting around on my account! Setsu-san, could you make a recommendation? I'm stuck between these three—"

Mayuko opened her mouth to speak, but no words formed. She quickly set the box of books on the counter and glanced once at Hatori before turning back to her mother. "Mom, I—"

"Nonsense, Mayuko, go on!" she said dismissively, leading Shigure back to the history section.

Realizing she lost, Mayuko turned back to Hatori in embarrassment. Would he even want to eat with her? Mayuko was sure Hatori was very busy, and would much rather be somewhere else.

"Well, knowing Shigure, they'll probably be a while," said Hatori. "Are you hungry?"

Mayuko cleared her throat. "Erm—that is…well, I haven't eaten yet, but don't feel obligated to go or anything. My mom's just being—"

"I haven't eaten, either," said Hatori, offering the faintest reassuring smile. Mayuko felt her heart melt.

"Okay, let me just grab my coat," said Mayuko weakly, reaching behind the counter for her things.

Silently they exited the shop and walked down the street towards Hatori's car. Mayuko pulled her coat tightly around herself, wondering what to say. She had gotten to know Hatori pretty well when he had been with Kana, but that was over two years ago—it was almost like they were strangers again.

Hatori pulled out his keys and pointed them at a dark sedan. The lights flashed to signal that it was unlocked. Mayuko peered in the window to figure out which side was hers.

"It's a western car," said Hatori, opening the door for her.

Mayuko could feel herself blushing, and hoped Hatori hadn't noticed. "Thanks."

Hatori got inside and started up the engine. He turned on the heat and clicked his seatbelt. "You can adjust the heater if it's too hot or cold," he offered, looking over his shoulder before pulling into traffic.

"Oh. Okay."

They drove in silence for several minutes. Mayuko fidgeted, absently wringing her hands in her lap. She couldn't believe she was this close to Hatori—she was actually sitting in his car, only inches from him, and they were going out to eat! As they drove, Mayuko wondered what to say. Was the silence awkward for Hatori? But he wasn't really a talkative person, so maybe he didn't mind…

"Is _teishoku-ya _fine?" Hatori asked as he parked the car. "I didn't ask."

"Yes, that's fine," said Mayuko quickly, looking out the window at the restaurant.

They were still silent when they sat down at their table and it wasn't until they had ordered their food that Mayuko spoke up. "You know, I've passed this place at least a hundred times, but I've never come inside."

"I've only been here a handful of times," said Hatori. "I don't usually eat out, but sometimes if I have Momiji with me, we'll come here."

"Momiji?"

"Oh, sorry—he's a relative of mine. He's a year younger than Yuki and the others, though you wouldn't guess it by looking at him. Most people think he's still in elementary school."

"Hmm. I didn't picture you as the baby-sitting type," Mayuko mused. She smiled at the mental image of Hatori trying to entertain a teenager.

Hatori shrugged at that. "Yes, I suppose it does look strange. Momiji's parents aren't around, so I try to do what I can when I have time."

Mayuko dropped her gaze to her teacup, suddenly feeling like she had just found out something very private about Hatori. "Sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

Mayuko felt embarrassed. "I don't know—I guess I just feel like I'm prying or something. It's probably none of my business."

"You're not prying," said Hatori flatly. "I volunteered the information."

Mayuko looked up at Hatori. His tone and expression were sober, as usual. If Mayuko didn't know better, she wouldn't have been able to tell that Hatori was trying to reassure her.

"Is something funny?"

Mayuko started, realizing she had been smiling. She shrugged. "You're always so serious, Hatori-kun." Then she added, teasingly, "If I didn't know you better, I would almost think you were scary."

"That's what Shigure and Ayame tell me," said Hatori, a slightly puzzled expression on his face as he took a sip of his tea. "I don't mean to come off that way."

Mayuko's smile widened. "But I suppose it can't hurt, can it? You can frighten all your patients into behaving and doing as they're told."

Hatori smiled that ghost of a smile at that. "It doesn't matter what I do, they never listen to me. Patients always somehow think they know better than their doctor."

"You should hear some of the excuses my students give me," said Mayuko, rolling her eyes. "If they put half as much effort into their homework as they do into their elaborate excuses… For the last essay I assigned, one student gave me this impressive story about how his essay slipped under the train and was shredded to pieces the morning it was due. Unfortunately for him, I know for a fact that he doesn't take the train to school."

"I was never any good at lying," said Hatori, taking a sip of his tea. "Maybe that's why I always did my homework in school. Ayame and Shigure, though—they got away with just about everything. Ayame, especially—the teachers all liked him. I think they felt guilty whenever they tried to rein him in a bit. I think they all hoped that I would keep him in line."

"You know, Shigure and Ayame are so different from you," said Mayuko, looking into her tea cup. "Well, I guess Shigure can be serious when he wants to," she relented. "But Ayame—I could hardly keep up with him. How did you guys become friends, exactly?"

"Ayame can be serious, but he just chooses not to," said Hatori. "And he and Shigure goad each other into progressively more outrageous behavior. I know some members of our family say I'm their babysitter." Hatori took a deep breath and shrugged. "But we grew up together; we've known each other since we could walk. I suppose you could say we're like brothers. Of course, they like to play games with my patience whenever they can." Hatori shook his head at some distant memory. He gave a small sigh, then added, "I know what those two look like on the outside—but they really are good friends." He paused, then added hastily, "Don't tell either of them that I've said that."

"Really?" Mayuko teased. "You don't want them to know that you actually like them? Relax," she added at the look on Hatori's face. "I won't say anything. Shigure's head is big enough as it is," said Mayuko, rubbing her temple. "They would never let you live it down."

The rest of the meal passed pleasantly. Mayuko felt awkward around Hatori at first, but once food was put on the table between them, conversation became easier. At first Mayuko worried that she was doing most of the talking, but Hatori was always a quiet person and he didn't seem to mind. Occasionally he would give that faint shadow of a smile at something Mayuko said, but it was always so fleeting. Mayuko soon found herself telling Hatori stories of her students just to try to get him to smile.

When they returned to the bookstore, they found Shigure and Setsu chatting happily at the front register.

"Back so soon?" Setsu asked when the door opened, a smile playing around her lips.

Mayuko frowned. "We were gone an hour."

"Hey, Haa-san, check this out—" said Shigure, grabbing Hatori by his arm and leading him toward a nearby shelf. He plucked a book off and showed it to him. "Our dear Mayu-chan carries my books!"

"What?" said Mayuko, snatching the book from Shigure's hands to look at it. "How many pen names do you have?" she asked, shoving the book back at him. "I thought I had gotten rid of all yours around here."

"Nope," said Shigure happily, gently re-shelving his book.. "A good author has at least a dozen—"

Mayuko rolled her eyes. "Well, I'll make sure to burn all of those copies, then."

"Hatori-san," said Setsu pleasantly, completely ignoring her daughter's obvious discomfort. "May I ask how you know Shiugre-san?"

"We're best friends," Shigure chimed in, slinging an arm over Hatori's shoulders. "We've known each other since we were kids!"

"We're cousins," said Hatori flatly, shrugging out from under Shigure. "So there's no getting rid of him."

"Now, now, you'll make her think you only came with me today because I tricked you into it," said Shigure. He wagged a finger at Hatori, whose expression said that's clearly what had happened. "Well, we should be heading back. Can't stay out too long when there's work to be done, right?"

"I'll look forward to your next visit, Shigure-san," said Setsu, beaming. "And do bring Hatori-san with you again!"

"Shigure's right," said Mayuko quickly, pushing the two men towards the door. "You both have lots of work to do, so you should get going! You're both very busy, so _go now. _Go!"

"Oh, Mayu-chan, don't be embarrassed that your parents wish you and I had never broken up!" said Shigure just before Mayuko slammed the door shut on him.

"You shouldn't antagonize her, Shigure…" came Hatori's voice from the other side.

Mayuko turned to her mother. "All right—well, we should get back to work, too—"

"How was lunch, dear?" Setsu asked happily. "Do you think Hatori-san might propose soon?"

"Mom!"

Setsu pressed a hand against her cheek. "Mayu, you can hardly blame your poor mother. You're past marriageable age, and you keep letting prospects slip by—"

"Shigure's hardly a prospect," muttered Mayuko darkly, slipping her coat off and draping it over the back of the chair. She sat down heavily and picked up her essays. After a moment, she looked up and realized that her mother was still watching her with a funny sort of half-smile on her face. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," said Setsu vaguely, drifting towards the back of the shop.


End file.
